Autumn Ambrosia

by

Florence Ondré

As I sit at my keyboard, the aromatic scent of apples; fresh picked off the orchard trees, wafting tantalizingly around me, I am reminded that not everything is nose to the grindstone. I can pause a moment and reflect on the day in the orchard with family, picnicking; overlooking the valley stretching below us like a Wyeth idyllic painting. The pause that refreshes. Work is always there and won’t begrudge me a few moments breathing in apples and their orchard memories.
Two really big bags of Mutsu, Cortland, Macintosh, Empire Red and Golden Delicious globes sit on my dining room table sighing the simplicity of goodness.
The world for a moment seems all right in the presence of the basics of an Autumn apple.
The great Mouli Grinder hunt is on. That old fashioned, hand cranked food mill which my grandmother and mother used to take red, ripe tomatoes; fresh from their gardens, to swirl, swirl, swirl the grinder handle and turn the sun kissed fruit into perfect pureé for pasta. The cooking was an all day process in this time honored tradition of making the best marinara on the planet.
It can also be used to make the most delicious apple sauce your taste buds ever dreamed of enjoying. Pears can be steamed and added to make pear/apple sauce…or peaches…or berries…a pinch of cinnamon…a dash of sugar…we’re talking a recipe for Fall Fruit Heaven.
I’ve tried them all and become famous in my family for this ambrosia.
That brings us to this year’s season. The apples and family are waiting, drooling for the sensational homemade sauce.
Now, if I could only remember where the Mouli Grinder is.
Or who still has them for sale…